Is this allowed in a tournament?

Originally posted by DoctorScribbles
Of course they do. They take a cut of the entry fees. Why do you think only a portion of the entry fees are paid out as prizes? Why else would TDs pay the USCF to be TDs?

http://www.uschess.org/ratings/info/running.php

From Step 5:
"In general, the organizer is free to charge whatever entry fees and offer whatever prizes he or she wishes."

Originally posted by DoctorScribbles
http://www.uschess.org/ratings/info/running.php

From Step 5:
"In general, the organizer is free to charge whatever entry fees and offer whatever prizes he or she wishes."

That's the organiser, not the Tournament director.

Originally posted by Marinkatomb
That's the organiser, not the Tournament director.

Is it your claim that the organizer cannot serve as the TD?

Why do you think Step 2 of the same document gives instructions on how to become a TD, saying "In order to run a tournament that can be rated by the USCF office, you must first register with USCF as an official tournament director."

In this document, running a tournament, organizing a tournament, and being a tournament director are all synonymous. You're not even from the U.S., and you don't know what you're talking about.

Originally posted by chesskid001
Yesterday, I played in small chess tournament.

It was a 4 round tournament. I had beaten my 3rd round opponent, when suddenly some guy withdrew. So the TD told me I'd have to play my 3rd round opponent again. I pointed out that there was one more player that my 3rd round opponent hadn't played, but the TD said that because that was his sister, he had ...[text shortened]... n't find much concerning this issue. Do I have good reason to write to the USCF and complain?

The answer is YES.
Under older USCF rules this was not permitted.
But the rules have been changed.
I know because that exact thing happened to me 2 years ago in an OTB tourney.
I challenged the directors decision and he showed me where the new rules permitted him discretion to do this.
I don't like it either.

Angela'

Originally posted by DoctorScribbles
Is it your claim that the organizer cannot serve as the TD?

Why do you think Step 2 of the same document gives instructions on how to become a TD, saying "In order to run a tournament that can be rated by the USCF office, you must first register with USCF as an official tournament director."

In this document, running a tournament, organizing a ...[text shortened]... l synonymous. You're not even from the U.S., and you don't know what you're talking about.

So? At least i was trying to be helpful, you can give me that right??

Originally posted by DoctorScribbles
Of course they do. They take a cut of the entry fees. Why do you think only a portion of the entry fees are paid out as prizes? Why else would TDs pay the USCF to be TDs?

Because you have to pay for the area in which the tournament is held....

Your question is foolish because it implies that people never do anything for reasons other than capital gain.

I always thought you would get a bye.

Originally posted by zebano
Because you have to pay for the area in which the tournament is held

This is simply false. Although some do it as volunteers and only keep enough entry fees to cover expenses, most TDs are in it for personal monetary gain as a supplementary income.

Even if it were true that they kept only enough fees to cover expenses, your original claim that TDs are not supposed to be paid is false. The document I cited clearly states that TDs can charge whatever fees they want and only return as much of them as they want. There is no prohibition on keeping the money for themselves.

Originally posted by DoctorScribbles
This is simply false. Although some do it as volunteers and only keep enough entry fees to cover expenses, most TDs are in it for personal monetary gain as a supplementary income.

Even if it were true that they kept only enough fees to cover expenses, your original claim that TDs are not supposed to be paid is false. The document I cited clearly ...[text shortened]... turn as much of them as they want. There is no prohibition on keeping the money for themselves.

I think you are wrong. Most tournaments pay out 80% or more of the entry fees in prize money. The organizer/TD must pay for renting the space and even a fee to send the results to the USCF. I seriously doubt that there are any TD's making enough money in tournaments to "supplement their income"; panhandling would be quicker, less work and more lucrative.

Originally posted by no1marauder
I think you are wrong. Most tournaments pay out 80% or more of the entry fees in prize money. The organizer/TD must pay for renting the space and even a fee to send the results to the USCF. I seriously doubt that there are any TD's making enough money in tournaments to "supplement their income"; panhandling would be quicker, less work and more lucrative.

That's not my experience.

Consider a large upcoming event by one of our local organizers whose tournaments I frequent.

http://www.americanchess.net/ace/ace_fall_festival06.htm

It's held at a public university, so there is no fee for using the meeting rooms as tournament halls.

The estimated number of entries in the main event is 90, at an entry fee of $45. That's just under $4500 in expected entry fees, and the total scheduled prizes sum to approximately $2000, and only a 50% payout is guaranteed on extra entries in the open section. That leaves the organizer clearing $2500 less whatever expenses he incurs, like providing pencils and scoresheets. For a two-day event that's over $1000 each day. Not too shabby, I'd say.

Originally posted by DoctorScribbles
That's not my experience.

Consider a large upcoming event by one of our local organizers whose tournaments I frequent.

http://www.americanchess.net/ace/ace_fall_festival06.htm

It's held at a public university, so there is no fee for using the meeting rooms as tournament halls.

The estimated number of entries in the main event is 90, at an ...[text shortened]... and scoresheets. For a two-day event that's over $1000 each day. Not too shabby, I'd say.

Public universities normally do not provide their space to non-student organizations for free. Most events of any size are held in hotels which surely do not provide space for free. Smaller events are usually held in private meeting halls which are also not free. There is a charge to report the results to the USCF; I think it's a couple bucks a player. The payout in the event you cited seems low compared to almost all the events listed in Chess Life, however. Maybe you hang out with people of a more mercenary sort.

Originally posted by DoctorScribbles
It's held at a public university, so there is no fee for using the meeting rooms as tournament halls.

This isn't necessarily true. My state holds tourneys at a University, and they charge for use of the rooms.

Just for the record, you do not have to pay an additional fee per year to be a TD, although you do have to fulfill other requirements (varying by the level of director you wish to be).

The vast majority of tournaments are small club events, where the clubs make very little money, and the TD is the organizer. But yeah, if you're at a larger event, the organizer probably take a big chunk of the prize fund (and who knows, the head TD might get some of this - I've never worked on a large non-scholastic tournament).

If I was running a tournament, I wouldn't prevent siblings from playing each other; however, I wouldn't bother complaining to the USCF about it. It seems like making a mountain out of a molehill - 20-40 rating points don't mean much in the grand scheme of things.

I contacted the USCF, not to complain for but a clarification so in the future I'll know what to do. Apparently the TD made the correct decision

Originally posted by OrangeKing
If I was running a tournament, I wouldn't prevent siblings from playing each other; however, I wouldn't bother complaining to the USCF about it. It seems like making a mountain out of a molehill - 20-40 rating points don't mean much in the grand scheme of things.

TDs need to run events by the rules. The pairing rules do not list play against family members as something to be avoided, although they do provide for the exercise of common sense.

I've played my son in a Swiss event, and have witnessed many sibling pairings. In the large scholastic events that I run, we avoid pairing teammates prior to the final round, but have often had siblings play each other because they attend different schools.

The rules do state that players meeting twice is the "most basic of all pairing rules," as noted above. The complaint is merited (although damage to your rating as a consequence seems trivial).